Isis
by bonbon2007
Summary: What if Imhotep's love of Anck-su-namun was not real. What if his true love was the youngest daughter of the Pharaoh? This is the story of two lovers meeting thousands of years later. Will their love last through his curse and what ever Anck-su-namun did to make him love her? This is their story.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Mummy. It is owned by someone else. The only thing in this story that is mine in Irene/ Isis.

Key

_Ancient Egyptian_

English

Thoughts are '

spoken words are "

Chapter 1

The Beginning

**THEBES - 2,134 B.C**

**ANCK-SU-NAMUN'S BALCONY WINDOW - PALACE – DUSK**

Glaring out over the city at the setting sun is a handsome, muscular Man with intense, evil eyes. This is Imhotep High Priest of Osiris, Keeper of the Dead.

A gorgeous, olive-skinned goddess enters the outer foyer. It takes a moment to realize that the skin-tight dress she's wearing isn't a dress at all, but rather her entire naked body has been PAINTED in the ancient Egyptian manner she's a stunning sight to behold. This is Anck-Su-Namun Pharaoh's Mistress. No other man was allowed to touch her.

She makes her way through the ornate statuary. Anck-su-namun embraces Imhotep, they kiss passionately, feverishly. Imhotep's hands roam over her perfect body, smearing the paint.

Footsteps are herd and the bald Priests, Imhotep's servents that where hidden in the room, rush over and close the doors. But just as they do, the doors suddenly burst open. Pharaoh angrily strides in, looks at the Priests.

PHARAOH: "_What are you doing here?"_

The Priests back away, scared shitless, obviously his arrival was unexpected. Pharaoh strides for the curtains throwing them back. Anck-su-namun stands alone. Gives him a sexy smile. Pharaoh sees the smeared body paint angrily pointing.

PHARAOH: _"WHO HAS TOUCHED YOU?!"_

From behind him, his sword is ripped out of its scabbard. Pharaoh spins around to see Imhotep. Pharaoh is shocked.

PHARAOH: _"__Imhotep?... My priest."_

Behind him, Anck-su-namun lifts a dagger and plunges it into his back. The Pharaoh screams in pain. Imhotep raises Pharaoh's sword. The hideous bald Priests Slam the doors and bolt them tight. Through the curtains, they see the shadows of Anck-su-namun and Imhotep stab away at Pharaoh. Suddenly, the doors are rammed from the other side. Imhotep and Anck-su-namun turn and look. The doors are rammed again. The two lovers share desperate looks. The bald Priests run up and grab Imhotep and try and pull him towards the balcony.

Priests: _"__Pharaoh's bodyguards!"_

Imhotep tries to break free, but Anck-su-namun rips Pharaoh's sword out of his hand and pushes him towards the balcony.

Anck-su-namun: _"__You must go. Save yourself. Only you can resurrect me."_

Imhotep's face fills with despair. The doors finally explode open. Men with blue-tinted skin and strange puzzle-tattoos all over their bodies stride in armed to the teeth followed by a young woman in a blue dress. These are the Medjai, bodyguards and protectors of the Pharaoh. The Priests hustle Imhotep out onto the dark balcony just as the Medjai rip through the curtains. They and the woman see Anck-su-namun standing over the dead Pharaoh. She points at Pharaoh and hisses.

Anck-su-namun: _"__My body is no longer his temple!"_

She plunges the sword into her own heart. Out on the balcony, Imhotep's mouth opens into a horrible silent scream. The young woman kneels beside the Pharaoh tears streaming down her face.

Isis: _"My father I'm sorry. I should have known."_

As the Medjai listen to the youngest child of the Pharaoh cry the oldest daughter now the queen due to the death of her father walks in and leads the young woman away. As they reach the door she turns to the Medjai.

Nefertiti: _"She is to be cursed for killing our father may her soul never rest."_

She turns to her sister.

Nefertiti: _"Come sister your strength is already failing you. You are very sick you shouldn't even be out of bed."_

Isis looks to the ground and sees a bangle in the doorway. It has fine designs all along it. She remembers giving it to Imhotep before Anck-su-namun twisted his mind. Suddenly she knew all that had transpired here this night. Like a dream the vision flowed over her. As the vision finished she collapse to the floor and turns to her sister.

Isis: _"Sister, I know what happened. She and Imhotep both killed our father. She let him escape so that he could resurrect her."_

Nefertiti: _"Sister you know what that means. If he is caught he will be given the Hom-Dai. He will never meet you in the next life you know that, right." _

Isis: _"I know. He is not the man I fell in love with; she did something to him. We were truly in love once, but he must be punished for the crime he has committed and for what he is attempting to do. I will not last much longer sister, however I hope that someday you will find love. These are my last words. I love you."_

Nefertiti stares at her dead sister in sorrow and shock. She knew her sister was sick and that she had been slowly fading, but for her to be dying from something that was common when they were kids upset her more than anything.

When Isis was a child the visions came all the time. A gift from the gods their mother had said. She had been born when the healers of the time said it was not possible. Their parents had even named her Isis, after the Goddess Isis. They had even prevented many deaths and wars from harming Egypt, but since she had fallen ill after a meal two months ago the visions just seem to sap more of her sister's strength. Both of them believed it to be poison, but their father didn't believe them. Another event around that time was a certain priest's change of heart about Isis. Nefertiti for one believed that it was Anck-su-namun's fault somehow, but with no proof nothing could be done. Now though she had done the most heinous. She had killed the Pharaoh, and Nefertiti would see her pay. She turned to the Medjai who had followed them.

Nefertiti: _"Prepare to follow Imhotep. When he attempts to resurrect that woman capture him. He is to be sentenced to the Hom-Dai."_

**SAND DUNES - NIGHT**

Imhotep leads a torch-lit procession across the dunes. Anck-su-namun's mummy is carried by Nubian slaves. They put her down in the sand along with five jewel encrusted jars. Imhotep, filled with dread, reads from a golden book made out of pure gold. This book is known as the book of the living. It contained sacred incantations that would send the evil dead on a journey into the dark underworld.

Strange lights suddenly flash across the faces of the slaves and the Egyptian soldiers. Suddenly, everyone's fear-filled eyes all rise, as if watching Anck-su-namun's body rising. Then one last huge flash, accompanied by a blast of wind, and it's over. Anck-su-namun's body now lies twisted on the ground.

Imhotep's Priests place the body into a stone sarcophagus. The Nubian slaves lower it into a hole and bury it with sand. Imhotep then signals to the Soldiers, who throw their spears at the Nubians, killing them. Imhotep's knife-wielding Priests attack the now unarmed soldiers, hacking at them in the flickering darkness as Imhotep and the Medjai solemnly watches the end of the death ceremony.

The Medjai walk off across the sand and then, one by one, the priests stop their frenzied stabbing and stare off at the vanishing Medjai. As the last Medjai disappears over a distant dune, Imhotep nods, and the Priests leap onto Anck-su-namun's grave and begin digging it back up with their hands.

**SAHARA DESERT - NIGHT**

Chariots race out into the moonlit desert. Imhotep leads the way. A "hearse" carries Anck-su-namun's mummy. The chariots arrive at a place marked on the map in hieratic; a city in which only the Pharaohs may be buried. They race up the stone ramp and in through the city gates.

**HAMUNAPTRA - ANUBIS SITE - NIGHT**

Imhotep pulls an ornate chest out of a secret compartment inside the giant statue of Anubis, placed there so that no such sacrilege might ever disgrace Egypt. He opens the chest and lifts out The Book of the Dead, made of black stone.

**UNDERGROUND NECROPOLIS - NIGHT**

Big hairy rats scurry through the mausoleums and over the headstones of this very large, scary, underground cemetery. A detritus, muck made out of filthy water and human remains, moat surrounds the cemetery. Skulls bob in the goop. The Priests have gathered in a circle. Their hooded, lifeless eyes seem dead to this world. Their bald heads rock back and forth as they chant, a quiet eerie hum. In the middle of the circle is a strange, twisted altar. Imhotep has unwrapped Anck-su-namun's gorgeous, lifeless body and placed her five sacred canopic jars around her.

As Imhotep begins to read from The Book of The Dead, a large swirling hole starts to open in the detritus bog. Several Priests look over at it, frightened, then quickly look back down and resume chanting. A strange mist wafts up out of the swirling hole and over to the jars, it passes through them and into Anck-su-namun's body. One of the jars shudders, the heart inside begins to beat.

The chanting Priests, swirling hole, wafting mist, beating heart, and Imhotep's readings are reaching a crescendo. Anck-su-namun's eyes suddenly fly open. All that is needed is to put her organs that are in the jars back into her body. Imhotep lifts a sacrificial knife above Anck-su-namun's breast, about to plunge it down. The chanting, swirling, and beating heart peak.

And that's when the Medjai burst in and storm through the startled Priests. The head Medjai smashes the jar with the beating heart. The mist instantly sucks back out of Anck-su-namun's body and implodes back into the swirling hole. Anck-su-namun's eyes close. She is dying once again. Imhotep screams in rage. The Medjai grab him and his Priests.

**EMBALMING CHAMBER ( In NECROPOLIS) - NIGHT**

Inside a torch-lit chamber, Imhotep is held by Anubis-headed embalmers. He cringes at the flickering, hazy glimpses of his Priests being embalmed and mummified alive. The horrid-looking Embalmers, using knives, needles and thread, calmly perform their ghastly surgery on the screaming Priests, who are going insane from the procedure.

In the main chamber all twenty-one of Imhotep's Priests squirm inside their wrappings. Imhotep is forced to his knees. His arms are held back. His mouth is pried open. His tongue cut out. The Embalmer flings Imhotep's tongue onto the floor. Imhotep is wrapped alive. Only his mouth, nostrils and fear filled eyes are left free of the slimy bandages. Detritus muck boils inside a black cauldron. Embalmers scoop out the fetid muck and apply it to Imhotep's wrappings as he squirms.

He's then laid in a stone sarcophagus. An Embalmer with a bucket steps up and looks into the coffin. Imhotep's wild eyes stare back. The Embalmer empties the bucket over Imhotep's chest: dozens of flesh eating scarabs, disgusting dung beetles. They scurry across Imhotep's screaming face. Some vanish into his tongue-less mouth and up his nostrils.

'_By eating the sacred scarabs, he would be cursed to stay alive forever. And by eating him, they were cursed just the same.'_

The heavy sarcophagus lid is shoved into place and with a loud WHOOSH seals itself airtight. The head Medjai uses the strange key, locking the sarcophagus lid tight.

'_He was to remain sealed inside his sarcophagus, the undead for all of eternity.'_

The blue-skinned, strangely tattooed man carefully collapses the sides of the key, turning it into a little puzzle box.

'_T__hey would never allow him to be released. For he would arise a walking disease, a plague upon mankind, an unholy flesh-eater, with the strength of ages, power over the sands, and the glory of invincibility.'_

Imhotep's sarcophagus is dropped into a detritus pit. The disgusting muck slashes up, drools down it-s sides, and then is mysteriously sucked into its seams, vanishing clean.

"_And if he could raise Anck- su-namun from her place in hell, together, they would be an unstoppable infection upon this world. The Apocalypse. The End."_

Imhotep's horrifying tongue-less screams can be heard coming from inside his sarcophagus as grave diggers shovel dirt onto it.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Mummy. I don't know who does but they are richer then I am.

The only thing in this story that is mine is Irene/ Isis.

Key

_Ancient Egyptian_

English

Thoughts are '

spoken words are "

**Chapter 2**

**Time Marches On**

**THE SAHARA - 1925**

A mile across the scorching desert two hundred French Foreign Legionnaires scurry through the ruins, preparing for the onslaught. Our hero is up on the wall. His Kepi sits at a jaunty angle. This is the dashing and handsome Rick O'Connell

He looks out at the massive screaming horde galloping at him.

O'Connell: "I knew this was gonna be a lousy day."

A doughy little Frenchman joins him as he makes his way across the top of the wall. This is Beni.

Beni: "Personally, I would like to surrender. Why can we not just surrender?"

O'Connell: "Shut-up and give me your bandolier."

Beni pulls off his cartridge belt, and hands it to O'Connell.

Beni: "Then let's run away. Right now, while we can still make it."

O'Connell throws it on, crisscrossing his own bandolier.

O'Connell: "Now give me your revolver; you'll never use it anyway."

Beni pulls out his pistol and chucks it to O'Connell.

Beni: "Then let's play dead, huh? Nobody ever does that anymore."

O'Connell slides it into his belt, next to his own revolver.

O'Connell: "Now go find me a big stick."

Beni: "In the desert? What is it for?"

O'Connell turns and goes nose-to-nose with him.

O'Connell: "So I can tie it to your back, you appear to be without a spine."

The horde of warriors thunders forward. Now a half mile out their scimitars rattling. O'Connell and Beni run through the ruins.

O'Connell: "How'd a guy like you end up in the Legion anyways?

Beni: "I got caught robbing a synagogue. Lots of good stuff in them holy places; churches, temples, mosques, and who's guarding them?"

O'Connell: "Altar boys?"

Beni: "Exactly! I speak seven languages, including Hebrew, so my specialty was synagogues. How about you? Kill somebody?"

Beni trips and accidentally tackles O'Connell to the ground. O'Connell gives him a nasty look.

O'Connell: "No, but I'm considering it."

They get up and run out the gate and down the stone ramp

Beni: "What then? Robbery? Extortion? Kidnapping!"

O'Connell: "None of the above, thank you."

Beni: "Then what the hell are you doing here!?"

They both skid to a stop at the front line as they see the horde of warriors. The sound of charging horses is deafening.

O'Connell gives Beni a big cheesy smile.

O'Connell: "I was just looking for a good time."

And that's when the cowardly Legionnaire Colonel suddenly panics, cuts and runs. O'Connell instantly stiffens.

O'Connell: "Oh shit. Steady!"

This gives the men around him courage. But onward come the horde their hoofs pounding the sand. Several more Legionnaires take off.

O'Connell: "STEADY!" 'What the hell am I saying?'

The Tuaregs let loose with those horrifying screams. More Legionnaires haul-ass to get away. Beni is one of them.

O'Connell: "STEADY!" 'What the hell am I doing?'

The Tuaregs set their rifles and take aim. O'Connell steels himself, cocks and locks. The cartridge in his mouth suddenly snaps, he spits it into the sand. Another second passes. And then…

O'Connell: "FIRE!"

The Legionnaires on the ground shoot. The rifles report with a crash. The blast blows dozens of Tuaregs clean off their mounts. The prone Legionnaires quickly begin to reload.

O'Connell: "FIRE!"

The kneeling Legionnaires shoot. More Tuaregs bite the sand. The remaining Tuareg warriors shoot. Thunder and smoke rip the hot air. A third of the Legionnaires are killed instantly.

O'Connell: "FIRE!"

The remaining standing Legionnaires shoot. Tuaregs spin off their mounts crashing to the sand. And then the entire Tuareg force plows into the ruins and through the Legionnaires.

O'Connell grabs the barrel of his rifle and starts clubbing riders off their steeds, fighting like a man possessed.

Beni on the other hand, is on his belly crawling across the sand, whimpering in full retreat as Legionnaires fall dead all around him. He crawls through the front gate.

O'Connell throws his rifle down and goes for his guns. He cross-draws, gun in each hand, starts blowing riders off their mounts.

Beni crawls faster, and then he spots an open temple doorway amongst the rocks. He gets up and sprints for the door as the last of the Legionnaires are shot off their feet behind him. O'Connell's guns go empty.

O'Connell: "Son-of-a-bitch."

He turns and runs like hell, right through the front gate. Four Tuareg warriors on massive Arabians are chasing after him.

O'Connell hurdles a stone column, hits the ground running. He spots Beni inside the Temple doorway, trying to close the heavy sandstone door.

O'Connell: "Hey! Beni! Wait up!"

Beni has no intention of waiting up, he pushes harder.

O'Connell: "What are you doing?! Wait up!"

O'Connell runs faster. Beni pushes harder. The four Horsemen leap the big column and charge after him, their horses' hooves pounding in the sand.

O'Connell: "Don't you close that door! DON'T YOU CLOSE THAT DOOR!"

Beni closes the door just as O'Connell reaches it. O'Connell slams his body into the door. It doesn't budge.

O'Connell: "I'm gonna get you for this!"

He turns and bolts off around the rocks. Running for his life, he weaves through the ruins. The Arabians start quickly catching up and the pounding of the horses' hooves getting louder and louder as he runs.

O'Connell finally spins around and faces his attackers. The four massive horses crash to a stop in front of him. The vicious Tuaregs raise their rifles to finish him off. O'Connell just stands there, exhausted and beaten, and then he slowly lifts his right hand and gives them the bird.

And that's when the horses go ape-shit. All four of them rear up. Two of the Riders are thrown to the ground. The horses screech and bellow and snort in fear, then buck like hell and haul-ass away as if the devil himself had scared them. The thrown Riders get up and race off after their mounts.

O'Connell just stands there, stunned, then he lifts his right hand and checks out his middle finger. And then he feels the evil himself, and turns around. The shattered, decrepit statue of Anubis stares back at him.

Suddenly, the sand begins to shift under O'Connell's feet.

He starts to back away, keeping his eyes on the transforming sand, it looks like huge snakes are wiggling and writhing beneath it, forming lines and shapes, drawing a picture.

O'Connell quickly turns and runs off through the ruins. The sand stops moving, and we can now see that, drawn in the sand, is a picture of Imhotep's screaming face.

**RIDGE - DAY**

Up on a ridge, A group of riders, different than the ones before, watch O'Connell stumble clear of the decrepit city. O'Connell feels their presence and looks up. Very different from the Tuaregs, they have blue tinted skin and faces covered in strange puzzle tattoos.

It is the Medjai. Still they watch Imhotep's grave after all this time.

The Medjai leader is a huge, fierce man in black robes, with dual scimitars across his waist. His face is handsome and horrible, blue and tattooed. This man is Ardeth Bay. His dark eyes watch O'Connell stagger off into the open desert.

**CAIRO - DAY**

Cairo, a city so old the stars have actually changed their positions in the sky since its birth, a city teeming with every form of life. It is a strange, mysterious, wonderful city.

**CAIRO MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES - DAY**

Deep in the bowels of the museum are the Stacks. Rows upon rows of towering bookshelves filled with literature on the Antiquities. Standing at the top of a tall ladder between two of these rows and leaning against one of the bookshelves, is a rather uninteresting British GIRL: eye-glasses, hair-in-a-bun, long boring dress, your typical prudish nightmare. Her name is Evelyn 'Evy' Carnahan.

Evelyn pulls a book out from a stack under her arm, blows the dust off it, and then places it on a shelf with other books whose titles all begin with the letter "O". Then she grabs another book out from under her arm and reads the title.

Evelyn: "Tuthmosis? Now how did you get up here?"

Carefully, so as not to lose her balance, she looks over her shoulder to the bookshelf behind her, where all the titles begin with the letter "T". Then she looks down. It's a long way to the bottom. Evelyn gently sets the other books down on the top shelf, then turns and gingerly starts to reach across the aisle with the Tuthmosis book. It's a little too far, so she stretches, reaching, holding the top of the ladder with her fingertips, she's almost got it, closer now closer.

And that's when the ladder pulls away from the shelf. Evelyn yelps, flings the Tuthmosis book and grabs the top of the ladder, which stands straight up. Evelyn holds her breath, swaying precariously, a long second, and then she loses her balance, the ladder swings around and Evelyn starts stilt-walking down the aisle.

Evelyn: "OHEIUGM! AHHHHHH!"

The ladder crosses the aisle, does an about face and heads back the way it came. Evelyn clings to the top, struggling for balance. The ladder teeters out into the main aisle and picks up speed. Evelyn screams as it does a 180, spins into another aisle and finally crashes to a stop at the top of a bookshelf. Evelyn holds her breath, then sighs heavily.

And that's when the bookshelf falls away from her and crashes into the next bookshelf.

Evelyn slides down the ladder and plops to the floor. She looks up just as the domino effect kicks-in: each bookshelf crashing into the next. And onward it goes. Bookshelf after bookshelf tumbles; thousands of volumes go flinging off shelves and scattering across the floor. It finally ends as the last shelf crashes into a wall. Evelyn's eyes are closed. She opens one eye. Looks left. Then right. Then opens the other eye and stares at the huge mess.

Evelyn: "Oops."

The Egyptian Curator storms in.

Curator: "Look at this! Sons of the Messiah! Give me frogs, flies, locusts, anything but this! Compared to you, the other plagues were a joy!"

Evelyn quickly gets up and starts gathering books.

Evelyn: "I'm sorry, it was an accident."

Curator: "When Ramses destroyed Syria, it was an accident. You are a catastrophe! Why do I put up with you?"

Evelyn turns to him, trying to contain herself.

Evelyn: "You put up with me, because I can read and write ancient Egyptian, decipher hieroglyphs and hieratic, and I'm the only person within a thousand miles who knows how to properly code and catalogue this library."

Curator: "Who needs smart women? I put up with you because your mother and father were our finest patrons, Allah rest their souls. Now straighten up this mess!"

The Curator storms out. Evelyn just stands there, steaming.

And then she hears a noise and quickly turns around.

Evelyn: "Hello?"

The place is quiet and eerie. Then she hears it again, like feet, slowly shuffling across the floor, coming from a nearby gallery. Evelyn jumps as she hears a voice behind her.

Irene: "Hi sis, what did I miss?"

Evelyn turns around and you see a young woman standing a few feet behind her. This is Irene Carnahan, youngest of the set of three siblings. She stands a good 5'5", had dark brown hair and blue eyes. Her skin is tanned by long days in the Egyptian sun. She works as a tour guide in Cairo.

Irene: "What happened here?"

Evelyn: "Nothing just a small mishap. I'll clean it up in a moment I heard something coming from the Ramses Exhibit."

Irene: "Well it doesn't look so small to me. I'll help clean it up ok?"

Evelyn: "Sure, let's see what that sound was first."

Irene: "Ok."

They walk through the stacks and enter the exhibit.

**THE RAMESSEUM**

This is a place filled with treasures and plunder from the Middle Kingdom. It's very dark and quiet in here; the only light is from flickering torches at either end of the spooky gallery.

The noise is heard again! From the far side of the room it sounds like feet, slowly shuffling, plodding across the floor. Evelyn grabs a torch.

They look around, at a statue of Anubis, another of Horus, the statues stare down at Evelyn, who is starting to get scared now. Irene is barely affected. They walk down the aisle. Past a closed sarcophagus, past cases of ancient artifacts, and past another sarcophagus, only this one is open.

Evelyn freezes, swallows hard, nervously looks around to see who could have opened it. Then she slowly leans forward with the torch, and peers inside.

Suddenly a hideous rotted mummy sits up and screeches at her!

Evelyn screams, drops the torch and backs away, scared out of her wits. Irene backs up quickly. And then, coming from inside the sarcophagus, they hear a man laughing. Evelyn's eyes narrow as a foppish cad crawls out from behind the Mummy, laughing his ass off, half drunk.

Evelyn: "You...! YOU...!"

Jonathan: "Drunkard? Fool? Rat-bastard? Please call me something original."

Irene: "How about idiot."

This is Jonathan Carnahan, oldest of the Carnahan siblings. As he crawls out of the sarcophagus, Evelyn pulls a cigarette out of the mummy's mouth.

Evelyn: "Have you no respect for the dead?"

Jonathan: "Right now, I only wish to join them."

He grins drunkenly. Evelyn punches him hard in the chest.

Evelyn: "Well I wish you'd do it sooner rather than later, before you ruin my career the way you've ruined yours."

Irene shakes her head at both of them.

Irene: "Not even funny either of you. I am not letting either of you go under my watch."

Jonathan continues on as if Irene never spoke.

Jonathan: "My dear, sweet, baby sisters, I'll have you know, that at this moment my career is on a high note."

He belches, and then falls back and sits on the edge of a tomb.

Evelyn: "High note? Ha! For five years you've been scrounging around Egypt, and what have you to show for it? Not a thing. At least Irene and I have good solid jobs."

Jonathan excitedly starts scrounging around in his jacket.

Jonathan: "Oh yes I do! I have something right here!"

Evelyn: "Oh no, not another worthless trinket, Jonathan, if I bring one more piece of junk to the Curator to try and sell it for you I could lose my job."

Jonathan pulls out a small, ancient box; the collapsed key to Imhotep's sarcophagus. Evelyn is instantly curious; she grabs the box out of his hand.

Evelyn: "Where did you get this?"

Jonathan knows her weaknesses, gives her a mischievous smile.

Jonathan: "On a dig, down in Thebes."

Irene: "Yeah right bet you stole it."

Evelyn rolls the box around in her hands, mumbling to herself as she translates the hieratics and hieroglyphs covering it.

Jonathan licks his lips in anticipation.

Jonathan: "My whole life I've never found anything, Evy. Tell me I've found something."

Evelyn's fingers play with the various little slats on the box, shifting them this way and that way, it's like a puzzle box. Then suddenly, it unfolds itself, almost-mechanically, turning itself into the key. Sitting inside the open key/box is a folded piece of golden papyrus. It is an ancient map.

Evelyn: "Jonathan?"

Jonathan: "Yes?"

Evelyn: "I think you found something."

Irene: "Are you serious?"

Evelyn: "Yes, let's take it to the curator to be sure."

Irene and Jonathan: "Let's go."

**CURATOR'S OFFICE - DAY**

The Curator sits at his desk, staring through a jeweler's eyepiece at the key/box. Evelyn hovers behind him, excited.

Evelyn: "See the cartouche there, it's the official royal seal of Seti the First, I'm sure of it."

Curator: "Perhaps."

Jonathan leans in from across the desk.

Jonathan: "Two questions. Who the hell is Seti the First? And was he rich?"

Irene: "No duh, Sherlock."

Evelyn: "He was the last Pharaoh of the Old Kingdom, said to be the wealthiest Pharaoh of them all."

Jonathan: "Alright, good, that's good. I like this fellow, like him very much."

Irene: "Of course you do you just found out he's rich."

The Curator picks up the map. It's a map of ancient Egypt during the reign of Seti the First.

Evelyn: "I've already dated it; this map is almost four thousand years old. And the hieratics over here state… (Inhales deeply) It's Hamunaptra."

The Curator froze, suddenly very nervous, and then he recovers.

Curator: "My dear girl, don't be ridiculous, we are scholars, not treasure hunters. Hamunaptra is a myth."

Jonathan: "Are we talking about the Hamunaptra?"

Irene: (with sarcasm) "No we're talking about a totally unrelated city."

Evelyn: "Yes, it is The City of the Dead. It is where the early Pharaohs were said to have hidden the wealth of Egypt."

Jonathan: "Right, right, in a big underground treasure chamber. Everybody knows the story. The entire necropolis was rigged to sink into the sand. On Pharaoh's command, a flick of the switch! And the whole place could disappear beneath the dunes."

Irene: "And if it were ever to be found then great disaster would befall all who found it. This doesn't include the traps and stuff probably all over the city."

Evelyn: "All we know for sure is that the city mysteriously vanished around 2,134 B.C."

The Curator holds the map closer to the burning candle-lamp.

Curator: "As the Americans would say: it's all fairy tales and hokum."

The map 'accidentally,' catches on fire. The Curator throws it to the floor. Jonathan drops to his knees and quickly puts it out and lifts it up. The left third of the map is now missing.

Jonathan: "You burned it! You burned off the part with the lost city!"

Curator: "It's for the best, I'm sure. Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra, no one has ever found it, most have never returned."

Jonathan: (devastated) "You killed my map."

Curator: "I'm sure it was a fake, anyway, I'm surprised at you, Miss Carnahan, to be so fooled."

The Curator reaches for the key/box. Evelyn quickly snatches it off the desk and gives him a very angry, suspicious look.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Mummy. I don't know who does but they are richer then I am.

The only thing in this story that is mine is Irene/ Isis.

Someone sent me a PM wanting to know about the outfits Irene/Isis was/is wearing.

Her ancient Egyptian outfit: .

Her work outfit: .

Her outfit after the boat sinks till she arrives at Hamunaptra: .

Key

_Ancient Egyptian_

English

Thoughts are '

spoken words are "

**Chapter 3**

**Trip Starts**

**CAIRO PRISON - GALLOWS COURTYARD - DAY**

Cairo prison, one of the worst hell holes on earth. Every low-life form of scumbag can be found here. The Warden, a first rate scumbag himself, escorts Evelyn, Irene, and Jonathan across the gallows courtyard toward the cells. Evelyn whispers to Jonathan.

Evelyn: "You told me you found it on a dig down in Thebes!"

Jonathan:"I was mistaken."

Evelyn: "You lied to me!"

Irene rolls her eyes at her sister's naivety.

Irene: "Duh, he lies to everybody."

Jonathan: "Yes, I lie to everybody, what makes you so special?"

Evelyn: "I'm your sister."

Jonathan: "That just makes you more gullible."

Evelyn: "You stole it from a drunk at the local Casbah?!"

Jonathan: "Picked his pocket, actually."

Irene: "Like that's any better. I think I'll wait outside."

**VISITOR'S PEN - DAY**

The Warden ushers Evelyn and Jonathan into the holding pen.

Evelyn: "And what is he in prison for?"

Warden: "I did not know, so when I heard you were coming, I asked him that myself."

Evelyn: "And what did he say?"

Warden: "He said... he was just looking for a good time."

The interior cell door bursts open. O'Connell is in chains, dragged by four guards, they shove him up to the cell bars.

From the looks of it, he's been here awhile; his face is half hidden by long hair, a scraggly beard and many new bruises. Evelyn looks at him, disgusted by his appearance.

Evelyn: "But he's just a filthy criminal?"

Jonathan: "Way to go, Evy."

O'Connell gives Evelyn the once over, then looks at Jonathan.

O'Connell: "So who's the broad?"

Evelyn: "Broad?!"

Jonathan: "She's my sister, actually."

O'Connell: "Yeah? Well,... I'm sure she's not a total loss."

Evelyn is stunned and furious. The Warden heads out the door.

Warden: "I'll be back in a moment."

O'Connell: (sarcastic) "I tremble with anticipation."

A guard clubs O'Connell across the head; O'Connell's face bounces off the metal bars. He shows no pain, but just looks back and gives the Guard a nasty look. Evelyn steps closer.

Evelyn: "We uh,... found... your puzzle box, and we've come to ask you about it."

O'Connell: "No."

Evelyn: "No?"

O'Connell: "No... You came to ask me about Hamunaptra."

Evelyn and Jonathan quickly look around, hoping the guards didn't hear him. They step closer. Evelyn plays coy.

Evelyn: "How do you know the box pertains to Hamunaptra?"

O'Connell: "Because that's where I found it. I was there."

Evelyn is dumbstruck. But Jonathan looks suspicious

Jonathan: "How do we know that's not a load of pig swallow?"

O'Connell looks closer at Jonathan, a glint of recognition.

O'Connell: "Hey,... don't I know you?"

Jonathan: "Um, well, you see..."

O'Connell's fist comes flying through the bars, hits Jonathan square in the jaw decking him. He hits the floor, out cold. A guard clubs O'Connell. His head bounces off the bars again.

He shows no pain, but gives the Guard another nasty look. Evelyn looks down at her brother, then back at O'Connell.

Evelyn: "You were actually at Hamunaptra?"

O'Connell: "I just decked your brother."

Evelyn: "Yes, well... (shrugs) I know my brother."

O'Connell almost smiles. There's a bit of spark to this girl.

O'Connell: "Yeah, I was there."

Evelyn: "You swear?"

O'Connell: "Every damn day."

Evelyn: "No, I mean…"

O'Connell: "I know what you mean. I was there, alright, Seti's place, the City of the Dead.

Evelyn: "What did you find? What did you see?"

O'Connell: "I found sand. I saw death."

The warden enters with Irene. Evelyn quickly leans closer to O'Connell.

Evelyn: "Could you tell me how to get there, the exact location?

O'Connell: "Want to know?"

Evelyn leans in even closer.

Evelyn: "Yes."

O'Connell: "Really want to know?"

She leans her face right up to the bars, nervous and excited

Evelyn: "Yes."

O'Connell steps forward and kisses her full on the lips.

O'Connell: "Then get me the hell outta here."

Evelyn is stunned. A guard clubs him, his face bounces off the bars again, but before he can react the guards grab him, yank him away from the bars and drag him out of the room.

Evelyn: "Where are they taking him?"

Warden: "To be hanged."

Evelyn is shocked. The warden shows-off his green teeth.

Warden: "Apparently, he had a very good time."

Irene: "Looks like he did just now too."

**GALLOWS COURTYARD - DAY**

Hundreds of filthy prisoners stare down onto the gallows as the hangman's noose is draped over O'Connell's head and cinched tight around his neck. Evelyn follows the warden onto a balcony above the gallows. The prisoners all go dead quiet at the sight of her; like jackals staring at fresh meat. Irene stayed back away from the balcony near the door, where she could hear Evelyn and the Warden's conversations.

Warden: "No women allowed."

Evelyn: "I am an English woman."

This seems to confuse the Warden, he shrugs and sits down. O'Connell looks up as Evelyn plops down beside the Warden.

Evelyn: "I will give you one hundred pounds to spare his life."

Warden: "I would pay one hundred pounds just to see him hang."

Evelyn: "Two hundred pounds."

Warden: "Proceed!"

Evelyn: "Three hundred pounds!"

O'Connell can hear every word, he looks hopeful. Other than Evelyn, you could hear a pin drop. The hangman turns to him.

Hangman: "Any last requests, pig?"

O'Connell: "Yeah, I'd like ya to let me go."

The Hangman grabs the lever to the trapdoor.

Evelyn: "FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS!"

The Warden sets his greasy, lecherous hand on Evelyn's leg.

Warden: "And what else?"

Evelyn is revolted; she quickly shoves his hand away. Irene sees what he did and darts forward and slaps him. Her other hand rests on her dagger.

Insulted, the Warden angrily turns and gestures to the Hangman, who pulls the lever. The trapdoor drops away.

Evelyn: "NO!"

O'Connell drops through the hole. The rope pays out, then jerks taunt. O'Connell's body snaps at the end of the rope. But he's still alive, because…

Warden: "His neck did not break! Good! Now we watch him strangle to death."

The prisoners go ape-shit, screaming and shouting in anger.

The guards look around, nervous. O'Connell struggles at the end of the rope, gagging. Evelyn is horrified; she quickly turns to the warden, leans forward and whispers in his ear.

Evelyn: "He knows the location to Hamunaptra."

The warden spins around and faces her.

Warden: "You lie."

Evelyn: "I would never!"

At the end of the rope, O'Connell is choking and gagging and turning several shades of red. The Warden stares at Evelyn.

Warden: "Are you saying this filthy godless son of a pig knows where to find The City of the Dead? Truly?"

Evelyn: "Yes and if you cut him down, we will give you ten percent."

Warden: "Fifty percent."

Evelyn: "Twenty."

Warden: "Forty."

Evelyn hesitates, bites her lip. O'Connell's eyes bulge as he looks up at her, he can't believe this girl.

O'Connell: "Give... give him... give him…"

Irene: "Sis now!"

Evelyn: "Twenty-five percent, and not one single farthing more."

The warden flashes a big green smile, and then yells in Arabic. A scimitar slashes the air and the rope is cut. O'Connell crashes to the ground, half dead. He rolls over gagging.

All of the prisoners burst into cheers. O'Connell looks up at Evelyn. She smiles broadly and waves down at him.

**CURATOR'S OFFICE - NIGHT**

Candle light flickers across the Curator's face.

Curator: "She must die."

Standing in the shadows across from his desk are three Medjai: blue tinted skin, hideous facial tattoos, - the works. One of the Medjai has a rusty metal hook for a hand. He shrugs.

Hook: "She is like all the others. She will die in the desert."

Curator: "No! She has seen too much. She knows too much."

The Curator leans across his desk fear in his eyes.

Curator: "Not only does she have a map, but she has the key."

The Medjai gain a scared and worried look.

Hook: "The key!? She has the lost key!?"

Curator: "Yes. No one has ever had so much, been so close. We must stop her, or it will be the end of us all."

Hook: "Then we will kill her; we will kill her and all those with her."

Curator: "And burn the map and retrieve the key."

Hook: "It will be done. But what do we do about the American expedition? They leave tomorrow as well."

Curator: "Forget the bumbling Americans; they will be like all the others. Without the map to guide them, how can they possibly find Hamunaptra?"

**GIZA PORT - DAY**

Sitting on the bow of a passenger barge we see our good friend Beni. He's surrounded by three men from the American party. Their names are Daniels, Henderson, and Burns.

Beni: "It is three days down the Nile, then two days by camel, sahibs."

Daniels: "For all the money we're paying you, something better god-damned well be under that sand."

Henderson slaps Daniels on the back.

Henderson: " "Hamunaptra," Daniels, that's all ya gotta keep sayin, to yourself, "Hamunaptra.""

As the focus shifts to the dock and across the port you see explorers swarming the docks. Across the Nile, the Pyramids spike the sky. Evelyn, Irene, and Jonathan walk along the boardwalk besieged by hawkers selling everything from toy tombs to King Tut action figures.

Evelyn: "Do you really think he'll show up?"

Jonathan: "Undoubtedly, I know the breed, he may be a cowboy, but his word is his word."

Irene rolls her eyes at her siblings' conversation. Truth be told, she didn't even know who their mystery guide was. She couldn't really tell under all the hair. She would have to ask. Meanwhile, She just walked and listened to her siblings.

Evelyn: "Personally, I think he's filthy, rude and a complete scoundrel. I don't like him one bit."

O'Connell: "Anyone I know?"

They all turn. O'Connell walks up; shaved, showered, spit and polished, with a new haircut and clothes. He looks more dashing and handsome than ever. Evelyn is suitably impressed. And low and behold he's someone Irene knows.

Evelyn: "Oh... um,... hello."

Irene: " Rick? Rick O'Connell? My god it's been awhile."

The now identified Rick turns to Irene in shock.

O'Connell: Irene? Irene Carnahan? It's been almost a year since I saw you last."

Irene slaps Rick and then glares at him.

Irene: "That was for kissing my sister, and for leaving me with those stupid idiotic tour people."

O'Connell reaches for his face, but before he can grab it Jonathan grabs O'Connell's arm and shakes his hand.

Jonathan: "Smashing day for the start of an adventure, eh, O'Connell?"

O'Connell quickly checks his pockets.

O'Connell: "Yeah, sure, smashing."

He finds his wallet and relaxes. Directly above him on the bow of the barge, Burns wipes his bifocals and turns to Beni.

Burns: "You're sure Hamunaptra is out there?"

Beni: "Along with the scorched bones of my entire garrison, sahib."

And that's when Beni spots O'Connell. Beni shakes his head, as if seeing a mirage, then starts backing away from the men.

Beni: "A thousand pardons, my good sahibs but there is much work to be done."

Beni quickly scurries off, vanishing down into the hold. Back down with Evelyn, recovering, she clears her throat.

Evelyn: "Mister O'Connell, can you look me in the eye, and guarantee me this is not some sort of flimflam? Because if it is, I'm warning you -."

O'Connell steps up close to Evelyn, invading her space looks her straight in the eye. Evelyn doesn't back away.

O'Connell: "All I can tell you, miss, is that my Colonel found that map in an ancient fortress, and the whole damn garrison believed in it so much, that without orders, we marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city. Like I told ya, all I saw was sand. Everybody else was wiped out by Tuareg warriors. I'll take your bags."

O'Connell takes her bags and heads up the gangplank and onto the same passenger barge that Beni and the Americans are on.

Evelyn's eyes follow him, a bit wistfully. Jonathan sees it, and Irene rolls her eyes.

Jonathan: "Yes, yes, you're right, filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel, nothing to like there at all."

Evelyn gives him a look. Jonathan just grins. Irene laughs. And that's when the warden suddenly brushes past, tipping his raggedy hat almost knocking Irene over.

Warden: "A bright good morning to all."

Evelyn: "What are you doing here?"

Warden: "I have come to protect my investment, thank you very much."

Irene steps forward pulling out her knife as she goes. She gets chest to chest with the warden her knife pointed towards the ground.

Irene: "You touch me or my sister again…"

She taps the knife to his crotch area.

Irene: "I'll make sure you stay a lonely man for the rest of your days, if you don't die first."

And up the plank she goes shouldering her bag along the way. The warden follows her up the gangplank, ashen faced. Evelyn and Jonathan share a look. They shoulder their bags and get on the boat, and after they board the barge pulls out and heads down the Nile.

**RIVER NILE - NIGHT**

The moon shines down on the desert. The three vicious Medjai quietly glide a narrow skiff out onto the river. The one with the hook sits in the middle of the skiff, the other two row, heading for the passenger barge coming their way.

**THE BAR AT THE BOW - NIGHT**

Jonathan and the three Americans are playing poker. O'Connell comes out a door carrying a gunny-sack. Irene comes out after carrying her work sack.

Jonathan: "Sit down, O'Connell, sit down, we could use another good player. I'd ask Irene but she's not a very good gambler."

Irene hits Jonathan in the back of the head.

O'Connell: "I only gamble with my life, never my money."

Daniels: "Never? What if I were to wager five hundred dollars says we get to Hamunaptra before you?"

O'Connell returns Daniel's cocky look.

O'Connell: "You're on."

Burns slips on his dirty bifocals.

Burns: "What makes you so confident, sir?"

O'Connell: "What makes you?"

Henderson spits a wad of chew into a spittoon.

Henderson: "We got us a man who's actually been there."

O'Connell's poker face drops, perplexed. Jonathan's does the same.

Jonathan: "I say, what a coincidence, why…"

O'Connell 'accidentally' hits him in the ribs with the gunnysack, shutting him up. Jonathan quickly covers. Irene rolls her eyes.

Jonathan: "… whose deal is it? Is it my deal? I thought I just dealt?"


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Mummy. I don't know who does but they are richer then I am.

The only thing in this story that is mine is Irene/ Isis.

Someone sent me a PM wanting to know about the outfits Irene/Isis was/is wearing.

Her ancient Egyptian outfit: .

Her work outfit: .

Her outfit after the boat sinks till she arrives at Hamunaptra: .

Key

_Ancient Egyptian_

English

Thoughts are '

spoken words are "

**Chapter 4**

**Even Rats Leave a Sinking Ship**

**BARGE - NIGHT**

Evelyn sits on a table, staring out over the passing river. A gunny-sack drops onto the table, startling her. Her sister sits at the table taking her bag on her back. O'Connell is standing beside the gunny.

O'Connell: "Sorry didn't mean to scare ya."

Evelyn: "The only thing that scares me, Mister O'Connell, is your manners."

O'Connell: "Still angry that I kissed ya, huh?"

Evelyn: "If you call that a kiss."

Irene rolls her eyes and adds her opinion.

Irene: "Yah that's my sister, the ever blushing virgin. Oh, speaking of that kiss, O'Connell if you ever kiss my sister without her permission again I'll kick your American ass."

O'Connell: "Yes, ma'am."

O'Connell reaches into the gunny-sack and starts pulling out revolvers, pistols, hunting knives, a massive elephant gun, and a half dozen carefully wrapped sticks of dynamite.

Evelyn: "Did I miss something? Are we going into battle?"

O'Connell: "The last time I was at that place everybody I was with died."

This takes the smile off Evelyn's face. O'Connell starts dismantling and cleaning the guns. Irene pulls out her boot knives and sharpens then on a stone from the pack.

O'Connell: "There's something out there, you know, something under that sand.

Evelyn: "Yes, I'm hoping to find a certain artifact, a book; actually, my brother thinks there's treasure. What do you think is out there?"

O'Connell looks into Evelyn's eyes.

O'Connell: "Evil. The Tuaregs and the Bedouin believe that Hamunaptra is cursed, they call it, "the doorway to hell.""

Evelyn: "Ahmar is Assyrian. "Passageway to the underworld", actually."

She gives him a know-it-all grin, but before she could say anything more Irene glares at her sister.

Irene: "Sister, don't forget the Medjai. Even they believe that evil lies in the sands of Hamunaptra."

Evelyn glares back at her sister.

Evelyn: "Just because you have a crush on that one commander…"

Irene stands up and starts to walk away, but stops long enough to yell at her sister.

Irene: "Leave Ardeth out of this. At least I'm not a snobbish bookworm who hasn't found love."

Evelyn looks hurt at her sister's words, but brushed it off and turned to O'Connell.

Evelyn: "I don't believe in fairy tales and hokum, Mister O'Connell, but I do believe that one of the most famous books in history is buried out there, The Book of the Living. It's what first interested me in Egypt as a child. It's why I came here, sort of a life's pursuit."

O'Connell: "And the fact that they say it's made out of pure gold, makes no never mind to you, right?"

Evelyn is surprised by his knowledge.

Evelyn: "You know your history."

O'Connell: "I know my treasure."

Evelyn gets up to go, then she hesitates, nervous, she turns back to O'Connell, and as matter-of-fact as possible says:

Evelyn: "By the way,... why did you kiss me?"

O'Connell, cleaning his guns, just shrugs his shoulders.

O'Connell: I was about to be hanged, seemed like a good idea at the time."

Evelyn's eyes widen, furious, she turns and storms off.

O'Connell looks up, watching her leave, a bit perplexed.

O'Connell: "What? What'd I say?"

Then he hears someone snickering under the table. He quickly reaches down, grabs that someone and lifts him up. It's Beni.

Beni: "My very good friend! What a surprise."

O'Connell: "Why if it ain't my little buddy, Beni. I ought to kill you."

O'Connell sticks a knife under Beni's throat. Beni swallows hard, and then tries to weasel his way out with a big grin.

Beni: "You never were any good with the ladies, O'Connell."

O'Connell: "So you're the one leading the Americans, I shoulda figured. So what's the scam? You get 'em out in the middle of the desert then leave 'em to rot?"

Beni: "Unfortunately no, these Americans are smart, they pay me only half now, half when I get them back to Cairo, so I must go all the way."

O'Connell pulls the knife away. Beni relaxes, rubs his neck.

Beni: "You never believed in Hamunaptra, O'Connell. Why are you going back? The devil himself lives out there."

They look as they hear Evelyn yelp. A single camel in the horse paddock takes another bite at her. She yelps again and backs away. O'Connell grins as Evelyn flees down the deck.

O'Connell: "The girl saved my life, figured it was the least I could do, keep her out of trouble. On top of that her sister is a good friend."

Beni: "You always did have more balls than brains."

O'Connell's eyes narrow at the insult, he looks back at Beni.

O'Connell: "Let's make us even, shall we?"

Beni: "Even?"

O'Connell grabs him and chucks him over the side of the barge.

Beni splashes into the river. O'Connell takes his gunny-sack and starts walking off down the deck.

Beni: "O'Connell! I am going to kill you for this!"

O'Connell: "Sounds familiar."

And that's when he spots three sets of wet footprints, coming up over the railing from the river and heading down the deck.

O'Connell quickly looks around, immediately on the alert.

**EVELYN'S CABIN - NIGHT**

Evelyn, wearing a nightgown, stands in front of a mirror.

She gives her head a good shake, letting her hair fall loose over her bare shoulders. Then she turns around, right there is a hideous Medjai! It's Hook. He slams his hand over her mouth and lifts up his hook, ready to strike.

Hook: "Where is the map?"

Evelyn's terrified eyes glance down. Hook looks over, sees the map lying next to a flickering candle on a nearby table.

Hook: "And the key? Where is the key?"

Evelyn's eyes look confused. She shakes her head. Hook grins.

Hook: "Then I'll find it myself."

He cocks his hook, about to kill her. And that's when the door is kicked open. O'Connell bursts in, gun in each hand.

Hook spins Evelyn around and holds her out in front of him. O'Connell looks at her.

O'Connell: "Friend of yours?"

Evelyn's eyes widen. And that's when the candle on the table flickers. Everything happens at once, O'Connell spins around just as a window bursts open. A Medjai falls through after being kicked by Irene gun firing as he falls. Woodchips blast off the wall next to O'Connell's head. He returns fire killing the Medjai. One of the Medjai's bullets blasts a lantern splashing kerosene across the wall causing the wall to burst into flames. Evelyn grabs the candle on the table and jams it back over her shoulder, right into Hook's eye. He screeches in pain and lets her go.

O'Connell grabs her and yanks her out of the flaming room.

**HALLWAY - NIGHT**

O'Connell pulls Evelyn down the hall, she tries to jerk free, Irene easily keeping up with their pace.

Evelyn: "The map! We need the map!"

He shoves her up against a wall.

O'Connell: "Relax! I'm the map! (Taps his forehead) It's all up here."

Evelyn: "Oh that's comforting."

Irene just raises an eyebrow at the two.

Irene: "Maybe we should get moving if the two of you are finished. (Sarcasm) It's not like the boat is on FIRE or anything."

O'Connell gives her a look, then pulls Evelyn forward.

O'Connell: "C'mon, there's still one more of those guys around here somewhere."

Irene rolls her eyes exasperated.

Irene: "I'm more worried about the fire."

**EVELYN'S FLAMING ROOM - NIGHT**

Hot melted wax covers Hook's face as he holds his sore eye and struggles to the door. Then he notices the key/box on the floor. He bends over to pick it up. And that's when the door is kicked open again; it hits him in the ass and knocks him into the fire. Jonathan leans in and sees nothing but flames.

Jonathan: "EVY!"

Then he sees the key/box on the floor and picks it up. A hand suddenly snatches the key/box away from him.

Jonathan: "Hey that's mine…"

It's Hook. His backside is now on fire. He lifts his pistol.

Jonathan quickly backpedals out the door as Hook OPENS FIRE.

**CAMEL PADDOCK - NIGHT**

O'Connell, Evelyn, and Irene race out onto the deck near the horse paddock. People are screaming and shouting, lots of panic.

BLAM! A chunk of the wall is blown off next to Evelyn's head.

O'Connell pivots and fires back. It's the last Medjai, on the other side of the paddock. He and O'Connell exchange gunfire. Irene pulls out one of her guns and watches for any other Medjai. Evelyn looks at her sister and notices she's not firing.

Evelyn: "Why aren't you helping him?"

Irene: "We don't need any more gunfire in here last thing we need is to start another fire or worse one of the bullets hit us."

Evelyn: "Oh… I thought it was because that guy your with."

Irene glares at her sister. Anger is very clear on her face.

Irene: "SO NOT THE TIME EVY!"

Another lantern bursts into flames. O'Connell shoots off the paddock lock. The horses go nuts. O'Connell fires over their heads. They charge forward and crash through the door. The Medjai screams as the horses stampede over him. Flames sweep up the walls and race across the roof. Half the barge is now on fire. O'Connell throws the gunny-sack over his shoulder.

O'Connell: "Can you swim?"

Evelyn: "Well of course I can swim, if the occasion calls for it."

O'Connell: "Trust me."

He picks her up and throws her over the side.

O'Connell: "The occasion calls for it."

Evelyn splashes into the water. O'Connell dives in after her. Irene just stands by the railing a dumbstruck.

Irene: "What about me, you ass. Oh never mind I'll get Jonathan."

Irene runs for the bow, dodging people and animals.

**BARGE BOW - NIGHT**

Jonathan runs out onto the bow, sees the three Americans, guns in every hand, fanning their pistols, shooting everything in sight. Jonathan just shakes his head.

Jonathan: "Americans."

Hook suddenly stumbles up behind him, - now a flaming torch.

Jonathan turns around, Hook grabs him by the throat with his flaming arm and pins him to the cabin wall. Jonathan's eyes widen as he sees a hook rising up inside the flames about to strike him. The Americans pivot and open fire. Hook staggers back and comes face to face with Irene. She cocks back her hand and slugs Hook sending him over the railing. Jonathan turns to the Americans and smiles.

Jonathan: "I say! Good show!"

Irene glares at him.

Irene: "What about me?"

Then he points his thumb at himself totally ignoring Irene.

Jonathan: "And did I panic?" He lifts up his other hand, - he has the key/box back. "I think not."

And that's when the horses STAMPEDE onto the bow. Jonathan dives over one side followed by Irene, the three Americans dive over the other.

**NILE RIVERBANK - NIGHT**

O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan and the Warden wade out of the water. Evelyn's nightgown clings tight to her body as she wrings it out. She looks good. O'Connell notices. No one notices Irene til she hits O'Connell on the back of the head.

Irene: "Idiot quit staring at my sister."

Everybody else, including the horses, is getting out on the far shore O'Connell spots Beni running up to the Americans.

Beni: "Hey O'Connell! Looks to me like I got all the horses!"

O'Connell: "Hey Beni! Looks to me like your on the wrong side of the river!"

Beni looks up at the stars, and then angrily kicks the sand cursing. The flaming barge drifts off, slowly sinking...

**BEDOUIN TRADING POST - DAY**

O'Connell barters in Arabic with a camel trader. Jonathan forks over some cash. The Trader hands them the reins of four ugly old camels.

Jonathan: "I can't believe the price of these fleabags."

O'Connell: "We could of had them for free, all we had to do was give them one of your sisters.

Jonathan: "Yes, awfully tempting, wasn't it?"

O'Connell: "Awfully."

And that's when Evelyn steps out of a trading tent. She's changed into a gorgeous, tightly fitted, Bedouin dress. Irene comes out in a light blue belly dancer number. It looks great on her lightly tanned skin.

O'Connell: "Then again..."

**SAHARA DESERT SAND DUNES - DAY**

O'Connell, Evelyn, Irene, Jonathan and the warden are on camels in the middle of the frying pan; the endless, sun-baked Sahara.

Jonathan: "Never did like camels. Filthy buggers. They smell, they bite, they spit. Disgusting."

The warden savagely attacks a chicken wing with his vile green teeth. Flies buzz around his head. He sucks at his gums, then spits out some gristle. O'Connell watches him.

O'Connell: "Yeah, disgusting."

Evelyn is having the time of her life on top of her camel.

Evelyn: "Well I think they're cute."

Irene laughs at the actions of the group and grimaces at the warden.

Irene: "Yes some see them as cute, but they are also very useful especially in the desert like this. They are natural desert dwellers. Horses need water a lot more often than camels, but horses can at times travel faster."

The group travels farther through the desert even into the night.

**FRYING PAN - NIGHT**

The moon shines down on five lone camel rider's trekking across the vast wasteland.

Jonathan is sound asleep, his head bobbing comically to the rhythm of his camel. On the camel next to him, the Warden snores loudly. Up in front of them, Evelyn slowly starts to slide off her saddle. O'Connell reaches over and stops her, then gently pushes her back up onto her saddle, never waking her. Irene watches him stare at her sister. For a long moment, her eyes watch them, and then she looks up at a distant ridge where Ardeth Ray and a group of Medjai riders are pacing them.

**EXT. GIANT SAND DUNE - ENDLESS HORIZON - DAY**

The dawning sun hasn't yet crested the distant horizon as Jonathan and the Warden ride alongside a giant sand dune. Irene trails behind them.

Jonathan: "And you snore!"

Warden: "I do not snore!"

Jonathan: "All night you snored!"

Warden: "I have never snored!"

Irene: "Shut up both of you!"

Up in front of them, O'Connell looks at Evelyn.

O'Connell: "We're almost there."

Evelyn: "Are you sure?"

O'Connell looks down at the ground.

O'Connell: "Pretty sure."

The others look down and see dozens of skeletons sticking out of the ground. Bleached and eaten away. Some of the skeletons look like they're trying to crawl up out of the desert floor.

Jonathan: "What in bloody hell is this?"

The Warden shivers in fear.

Warden: "Other seekers of Hamunaptra."

The American Expedition rides out from behind the far end of the dune. The Americans are accompanied by two dozen native diggers and an Egyptologist. Beni rides lead on a camel, the rest ride horses.

Beni: "Good morning, my friend!"

O'Connell just nods. The two parties come to a stop a hundred feet apart. O'Connell turns and stares out across the endless horizon. Beni does likewise. The Americans look puzzled.

Daniels: "Well, what the hell we doin'?"

Beni: "Patience, my good sahib, patience."

Henderson looks over at O'Connell.

Henderson: "First one to the city, O'Connell! Five hundred! Cash bucks!"

O'Connell and Beni just stare out at the flat nothingness.

Evelyn and Jonathan share a look. And then, the sun starts to rise in the distance, breaking the flat horizon.

O'Connell: "Get ready."

Evelyn can feel the suspense and the majesty of the moment.

Evelyn: "For what?"

O'Connell: "We're about to be shown the way."

Far off to the right, a huge shape begins to rise with the sun. O'Connell and Beni watch it, expressionless. Daniels, Henderson and Burns share a look, and then -

Daniels/Henderson/Burns: "HEYA!"

The Americans take off, racing towards the rising shape.

Daniels: "SEE YA THERE, O'CONNELL!"

Evelyn and Jonathan give O'Connell anxious, sarcastic looks.

Jonathan: "Ah, begging your pardon, but shouldn't we be going?"

Evelyn: "After all, you rode us night and day to win that bet."

O'Connell doesn't say a word, staring hard. Beni watches the Americans and spits into the sand.

Beni: "Fools."

And then suddenly, the shape shifts across the horizon. Passing across the sun as it goes. It's a mirage. The Americans crash their horses to a stop and race the other way, after the shape. Evelyn and Jonathan smile, amazed. The shape shifts again, floating across the watery horizon.

The Americans crash to a stop again and chase after the shape, All three of them confused and cursing. O'Connell and Beni just stare, waiting. The shape shifts again. And the Americans crash to a stop again. Burns is thrown from his horse. Henderson angrily rips his hat off and chucks it to the ground. Daniels just curses as they give up the chase.

The shape comes to a stop on the far left of the horizon. The Americans are on the far right. Nothing moves. A few seconds pass. And then O'Connell grins. So does Beni. They share a look. And then swat their camels and race away. Everybody else hauls-ass after them. O'Connell and Beni are neck-and-neck. And then Evelyn comes galloping up, hair flying in the wind.

Beni takes out his camel whip and starts whipping at O'Connell, trying to knock him off his camel. Once. CRACK! Twice. CRACK! But on the third try O'Connell grabs the whip and jerks Beni off his camel. Beni slams to the ground and tumbles.

Evelyn and O'Connell race across the desert. Evelyn has never felt so alive. She laughs. O'Connell grins; he likes this girl. Beni stumbles to his feet, and then quickly dances out of the way as Jonathan and all the other riders stampede past him. Evelyn beats O'Connell to the stone ramp, racing hard.

O'Connell: "Evelyn! Slow down!"

Evelyn ignores him as she races up the ramp towards the gate.

O'Connell: "SLOW DOWN, EVELYN! SLOW DOWN! THERE'S A REALLY BIG…"

**HAMUNAPTRA - DAY**

Evelyn goes ass-over-teacups through the air and crash lands in a sand dune. She sits up, stunned, sandy hair in her eyes. O'Connell stops at the edge of the ramp next to her camel.

O'Connell: "Never mind."

The Americans ride up and look in wonder at the ruins inside the shape. O'Connell gives them a big, shit-eating grin. Irene riding up behind them rolls her eyes.

O'Connell: "You boys owe me five hundred dollars."

Irene: "Men!"


End file.
